Begonia plant named ‘Mini Miami’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Mini Miami’ characterized by its dense, uniform, outwardly arching and dwarf plant habit; rapid plant growth; bright silvery leaves blushed with bright to hot pink with dark purple brown centers; and serrate leaf margin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia,botanically known as Begonia rex hybrid, commercially known as RexBegonia, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Mini Miami’.

The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlledenvironment in Vista, Calif., as a naturally-occurring mutation of theBegonia rex hybrid cultivar Mini Merry Christmas, not patented. The newRex Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of plants of theparent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its uniqueleaf coloration and pattern.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by leaf cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Vista, Calif., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Begonia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, nutritionaland water status without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Mini Miami’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Mini Miami’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Dense, uniform, outwardly arching and dwarf plant habit.

2. Rapid plant growth.

3. Does not require winter dormancy.

4. Bright silvery leaves blushed with bright to hot pink with darkpurple brown centers; under high light conditions and good fertility,leaf color becomes almost red.

5. Serrate leaf margin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Begonia. This photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description, which more accurately describethe actual colors of the new Begonia. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical plant of ‘Mini Miami’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned and following observations, measurements and valuesdescribe plants grown in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Lompoc,Calif., during the spring under conditions which approximate commercialproduction practices. After the cuttings were rooted, plants wereplanted in 10-cm containers and grown with day temperatures ranging from27 to 32° C., night temperatures ranging from 18 to 20° C., and lightlevels about 1,800 foot-candles. Plants used for the description wereabout 6 to 8 weeks old. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Begonia rex hybrid cultivar Mini Miami.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring mutation of Begonia rex hybrid cultivarMini Merry Christmas, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By leaf cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 21 days at 21° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 56 days at 21° C.

Rooting habit.—Numerous, fine, fibrous, freely branching.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Rosette; dwarf; full and dense; uniform; outwardly archingpotted plant; freely basal branching with good leaf petiole strength.

Growth habit.—Rapid growth rate; moderately vigorous. Suitable for 10-cmcontainers.

Crop time.—To produce a 10-cm container flowering plant, about 6 to 8weeks are required after planting a rooted leaf cutting.

Branching habit.—Very freely basal branching with about 15 to 20 leavesper plant.

Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 15 cm.

Plant width.—About 17 cm.

Foliage description:

Length.—Petiole to apex: About 5.3 cm. Base to apex: About 6.7 cm.

Width.—About 4.8 cm.

Shape.—Asymmetrical, oblique, roughly ovate.

Apex.—Sharply acute.

Base.—Asymmetrically cordate, not equilateral.

Margin.—Serrate with fine ciliation.

Texture.—Leathery, rugose; pubescence on lower surface veins.

Color.—Upper surface: Margin, purple to brown, 187A to 200A; centralveinal area, 187A; central veinal area surrounded by 60A to 184Boverlain with close to 187A to 191B; intermarginal, 191B; veins, 187A;iridescent. Lower surface: Margin, 187A; central veinal area, 187A;intermarginal, close to 191B.

Petiole.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape:Longitudinally channeled. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 183A to 187A.

Stipules.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter, base: About 6 mm. Shape:Deltoid. Color: Close to 183B.

Flower description: Flower development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Rex Begonia have been noted to bemore resistant to Powdery Mildew than large-leaf Rex Begonias known tothe Inventor.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Rex Begonia toleratetemperatures ranging from 0° to 46° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Mini Miami’ as